Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 03167411 2022-07-11
Description
Self-rescue system and method for people in distress in an
aquatic environment, personal beacon and U-shaped buoy
configured to carry out the self-rescue method in an aquatic
environment
The present invention relates to a method of self-rescue of
a person in distress in an aquatic environment, a personal
beacon and a U-shaped buoy configured to carry out the self-
rescue method.
Background
Self-propelled U-shaped rescue vehicles have been shown to
be particularly effective in rescue operations for victims
in seas, rivers or reservoirs of dams and are currently a
highly sought-after alternative by the market to traditional
rescue means, namely lifebuoys.
The speed of the intervention and the rescue coupled with
the possibility of remotely controlling the rescue means are
the reasons for the aforementioned demand that is registered
either by the owners of recreational boats or professionals
or by the maritime authorities or the concessionaires of
bathing areas.
The system and method described and disclosed in patent
document WO 20122139044 is considered to be the state of the
art closest to the present invention. A remotely controlled
vehicle is disclosed, specially adapted to rescue people in
distress in the aquatic environment. However, the possibility
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of the rescue means being triggered by the person in distress
in the aquatic environment is not contemplated. On the other
hand, in the mentioned document, the rescue vehicle or buoy
is directed to the rescue site by remote control whereas in
the invention it is done automatically.
Object of the invention
The present invention includes a rescue method that is called
self-rescue because it is initiated by the person in distress
and is controlled by the devices that are part of the method
of the invention without any intervention by third parties,
in other words, fully automatic.
It was found that an important factor in rescue operations
is the reaction time of the rescue means to the critical
situation detected. Detection is usually done by human and/or
technical means, such as surveillance cameras and/or sensors
in charge of monitoring a certain area, which may be a
swimming pool, a beach, or a boat. Detection is not always
done in a timely manner, which contributes to a high number
of unsuccessful cases. It is the object of the present
invention to provide a method in which the alarm is given by
the person in distress, either because he fell to the water
from the side of a vessel, or because he is drowning in the
sea, in a pool, lake or dam. After the distress signal has
been issued and received by the signal receptor installed in
the rescue buoy, a process is initiated that begins with the
launch of the buoy, followed by its steering to the place
where the person in difficulty is found. Such a process is
controlled by computational means installed in the buoy that
processes the signals emitted by a signal-emitting beacon
carried by a user using the invention's method. The
computational means process the signal emitted from the
beacon, determine the route in real time according to the
relative location of the person in distress and the buoy,
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and activate automata that alter the relative position of
the turbines installed at the ends of the U-shaped buoy and
condition its direction and movement.
In accordance with the present invention, a water rescue
system is provided, as defined in claim 1.
For a better understanding of the present invention, a
preferred embodiment is now described, purely as a non-
limiting example, with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 shows a schematic top view of a motorised U-
shaped buoy or water rescue vehicle according to the
invention;
- Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the personal signal-
emitting beacon, according to the invention;
- Figure 3 shows a schematic view of the self-rescue method
according to the invention, launched from a vessel;
- Figure 4 shows a schematic view of the self-rescue method
according to the invention, launched from a pontoon in the
coastal area and where the buoy's position is determined by
surveillance cameras;
- Figure 5 shows a schematic view of the self-rescue method
according to the invention, launched from a pool wall;
- Figure 6 shows the flowchart of signal and data
processing, operated in the controller of the invention.
With reference to these figures, a self-rescue system and
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method according to the invention is shown, as well as its
components.
In particular in figures 3 and 6, the method of the invention
is shown schematically, as well as the different components
of the system that comprises the method.
The self-rescue system for people in distress in the aquatic
environment has as essential components a personal signal-
emitting beacon 10, and a U-shaped buoy, 20, self-propelled
by turbines and powered by battery.
Both the U-shaped buoy, 20, and the personal beacon each
have a locator that determines in real time the geographical
position where the respective system component is located.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the locator can
be a GPS device. However, the invention could be implemented
using other types of locators. For example, the location can
be determined by processing the acoustic signal, by
triangulation, or in another form, by video surveillance
cameras operatively connected with the system components.
The buoy component 20 includes an electronics module 30,
which includes the aforementioned locator, a signal
receiver, and a controller that processes the signals emitted
from the personal signal-emitting beacon 10.
The signals emitted can be of two types: distress or
location, coded according to the frequency of
emission/reception.
The aforementioned controller 30, is provided with signal
processing and data processing means, and is operatively
connected to the turbines 40. The turbines 40 are capable of
varying their orientation in space as well as their speed of
rotation, actuated by the controller.
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According to the invention, the processing means are
configured to: i) activate the detachment and/or initiation
automata, from the movement of the U-shaped buoy, 20, which
release the buoy from the support device 50 and/or initiate
and direct the movement of the U-shaped buoy, after receiving
a distress signal by the receptor of the U-shaped buoy
signal; ii) actuate automata positioned next to the turbines
40, which will modify the orientation of the turbines 40,
depending on the rescue route, determined by the reception
of the first location signal received after the distress
signal, correcting the referred route in real time according
to the location signals, emitted in real time from the beacon
10, carried by the person in distress.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the self-rescue
system of the person in distress, the signals are RF signals.
Advantageously, the signals are sound wave signals.
The location of the person in distress can also be determined
by magnetic wave triangulation.
The system of the invention allows for the execution of a
method of self-rescue of a person in distress in an aquatic
environment.
The method is automatic, initiated by the initiator device,
15, located in the personal signal-emitting beacon 10,
operatively connected to the U-shaped buoy, 20, and
controlled from the electronics module located in the buoy
20, by computational means. These means are configured to
perform a self-rescue method in which the processor, after
receiving a distress signal emitted from a personal beacon
(10), i) actuates automatic detachment and/or initiation of
the U-shaped buoy, 20, from a support device 50, ii)
determines and corrects, in real time, the rescue route in
water, depending on the relative position of the U-shaped
buoy, 20, and the location signals emitted in real time from
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the personal beacon 10 and iii) actuates position automata
for the turbines of the U-shaped buoy, steering the U-shaped
buoy in real time, 20 to the place where the person carrying
the personal beacon is located 10.
In a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention the
position of the person in distress is determined by cameras
60, operatively connected and directed towards the person in
distress that has a personal beacon.
The system of the invention has as components, the personal
beacon device 10, emitter of distress and location signals
and the U-shaped buoy.
The personal beacon device 10, includes a location
determination locator, and an emitter of distress and
location signals, configured to be received by the signal
receptor of a U-shaped buoy, 20, to carry out the self-rescue
method as described.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the personal
beacon 10, which emits distress and location signals, the
locator is a GPS device.
Advantageously, the personal beacon 10, which emits distress
and location signals, is a radio frequency (RF) emitter
operatively connected to video surveillance cameras 60,
configured to determine in real time the relative position
of the signal beacon and transmit the location data of the
person in distress to the U-shaped buoy, 20. The personal
beacon device 10, which emits distress signals may include
a support, 11 and an initiator device 15.
Advantageously the support 11, is a bracelet.
One option for the embodiment of the initiator device is a
button 15.
Another preference for the initiator device is a pin.
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As a complementary component of the personal beacon, the U-
shaped buoy is an integral part of the system. The buoy of
the invention is configured to carry out the method of the
invention.
The said buoy 20, is self-propelled by turbines 40, and
battery powered, and includes an electronics module, 30 which
includes a locator for determining the location of the buoy,
means of receiving distress and location signals emitted by
the personal beacon 10, and a controller provided with signal
and data processing means, operatively connected to the
turbines. The processing means are configured to: i) actuate
detachment and/or initiation of automata, positioned in the
U-shaped buoy that release the buoy from the support device
50 and/or initiate and direct the movement of the said U-
buoy, upon receipt of a distress signal by the signal
receptor of the U-shaped buoy; ii) actuate automata
positioned next to the turbines 40, whereby these automata
modify the orientation of the turbines 40, depending on the
rescue route, determined from the reception of the first
location signal after the distress signal, iii) the route
being corrected in real time according to the location
signals, emitted from the beacon 10 carried by the person in
distress.
Fig. 1 shows the vehicle/U-shaped buoy 20 of the invention
in a plan: the electronics module 30, where the signal
reception means, the signal and data processing means and
the data emission means are housed to control the actuators
of the turbines 40.
Fig. 2 shows the personal signal-emitting beacon 10, in this
case a bracelet that includes a support 11 and a button 15.
The personal beacon includes a locator for determining the
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position of the beacon carrier.
Fig. 3 is a representation of the invention's self-rescue
method. After activating the initiator button 15, located on
the personal signal-emitting beacon 10, an automatic process
is carried out which includes the steps of releasing the U-
shaped buoy, 20, from the support device, 50, and its
steering to the place where the person with the signal-
emitting beacon 10 is located.
Fig. 4 represents the self-rescue method of the invention in
use in natural bathing facilities (lakes, beaches, dams).
The determination of the person's position in distress in
the aquatic environment is done with the use of video
surveillance cameras operatively connected to the signal-
emitting beacon 10.
Fig. 5 represents the invention in a swimming pool, with the
U-shaped buoy attached to the support 50.
Fig. 6 shows the flowchart for processing signals and data
according to the invention. Upon activation of the initiator
device of the invention, 15, an RF or other signal is
emitted, which is received in the electronics module of the
U-shaped buoy, 20. This signal is recognised by the signal
receptor and identified as a distress signal. The recognition
of the distress signal, 101, in the processor, starts the
processing, 101, the end result of which is the actuation of
the retainer automaton 105, which results in the release or
launch, 107, of the U-shaped buoy, 20. Subsequently to the
distress signal, there is the cyclic emission of signals by
the signal-emitting beacon, 10, which contain the coding of
the location of the user of the personal beacon, 10, obtained
by GPS or another location determination system. The location
data is received 102, and processed, 104, resulting in the
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determination of the rescue route and the performance of the
turbine automata, 40 in the sense that, in real time, this
route is corrected, that is, modifying in real time the
direction of the self-rescue buoy, 108, to reach the place
where the user with the personal beacon is, 10. Since the
geographic positions of the bearer of the personal signal-
emitting beacon and the self-rescue buoy are constantly
changing due to the unstable nature of the aquatic
environment in which they are found, the processing includes
the new location data, 109, which is included in the
processing routine.
Finally, it is clear that the self-rescue method and system
described and illustrated here as well as the personal beacon
and the U-shaped buoy configured to carry out the method of
the invention can be modified and varied without departing
from the scope of protection of the present invention, as
defined in the appended claims.
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